Welcome & Ethos
Welcome to 48th Luton International Carnival
(12 noon – 6 pm). Luton Town Centre, LUI
Hosted by the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA)
We at UKCCA are all about creating fun, family-friendly events that celebrate Luton's amazing diversity. We especially love working with young people and adults who might not have as many opportunities to get involved.
Whether you're new to Luton or a lifelong resident, there's a place for you at our events! We believe in building bridges between communities and cultures, of all races, religions, backgrounds, and abilities.
The Luton International Carnival is a perfect example of this. It's a vibrant mix of fun, traditions, and friendly faces, all wrapped up in one incredible day. Think of it as a giant, happy eco-system of family fun!
Get ready to take flight, Luton!
This year's Luton International Carnival is soaring high with the theme " Luton Flying High!"
Our Luton Association of Mas (costume) Bands, schools, and amazing community groups will be using this theme to design their dazzling outfits for the parade.
The Carnival Parade is going to be epic, with around 800 participants strutting their stuff! We'll see local schools, fantastic costume bands like Rampage, St Kitts & Nevis and Friends, Ghana Association, and Scandalous, plus brilliant community groups like Luton Irish Forum, the Igbo Community Association, Pride in Luton, Polonia Polish Group, and the Luton Branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.
It's going to be a celebration of Luton's diverse community, all taking flight together!
Get ready for a carnival extravaganza!
We're thrilled to welcome amazing bands and costumed paraders from our sister events across the UK, including Notting Hill, Nottingham, Leicester, Leeds and Manchester.
The fun doesn't stop there! We'll have a fantastic Family Zone with storytelling in the Hat Factory, a quiet space to relax in the Hat Gardens, and a second acoustic zone on the Hat District Stage.
And to tantalise your taste buds, we'll have a global cultural festival of food and crafts stalls. Come hungry and ready to explore!
Luton Carnival announces our amazing Champion for 2024!
We were so lucky to have Dame Floella Benjamin grace our Luton International Carnival last year, and we're thrilled to announce our champions for 2024: local actor, Colin Salmon, and artist, Fiona Hawthorne!
This fantastic couple will be using their power to spread the word about the carnival on social media. But that's not all! They're also bringing their steel band, UFO, to add some lively tunes to the Luton International Carnival's Acoustic Steel Pan Zone.
Get ready for a carnival full of music, community spirit, and maybe even a glimpse of some local celebrities!
Luton Carnival is going green!
This year, we're making the Luton International Carnival even more eco-friendly. We're waving goodbye to gas-guzzling vehicles and loud generators in the parade. Instead, we'll have a cool electric truck, and be using electric bikes and push-and-pull floats powered by electric speakers. This means the music can keep pumping, but in a way that's kinder to our planet!
We're passionate about protecting the environment, and thanks to a grant from the Greener Futures Fund, we're making big strides. Our very own Board Member, Louise Allen, is leading the charge as our Green Board Champion. She's working hard to make the Luton International Carnival a model for green events and share what we learn with other Luton celebrations.
So, join us for a carnival that's good for the community and good for the planet!
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A big shout-out to our amazing supporters!
We couldn't put on this incredible carnival without the help of our fantastic funders, sponsors, and partners. Theirsupport makes it all possible! Thank you for being part of the Luton International Carnival family!